Expectations for the Ohio women's basketball team entering the 2023-2024 season were low after a dreadful six-win season the year prior.
When the season's final buzzer sounded following a first-round Mid-American Conference tournament loss to Ball State, the feeling exiting the season was much more optimistic than it was entering the season.
Ohio tallied eleven wins in 2023-24, made the MAC tournament and had young talent show they have a bright future with the program. Following that encouraging season, Ohio landed at No. 6 in the preseason MAC coaches poll. Let’s take a look at the roster and coaching staff entering an exciting new season of women’s basketball in Athens.
Losses
The Bobcats saw a few important contributors depart in the offseason due to expiring eligibility and the transfer portal. Their only loss via the transfer portal was arguably the biggest of the offseason as now sophomore guard Laylay Fantroy transferred to HBCU Texas Southern.
Her freshman campaign was impressive, proving to be one of the most versatile players on the roster, playing and guarding several positions. Fantroy was third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.0 points, 2.1 steals and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Three players, Madi Mace, Bengisu Alper and Peyton Guice will not return to the team due to running out of eligibility. Guice was the most seasoned Bobcat out of the three last season, serving as a key leader for a younger Ohio team.
Mace played an important role as a reliable contributor off the bench, averaging 3.8 rebounds per game last season. As for Alper, the Turkish senior spent her last year of college basketball at Ohio and served as a role player starting and coming off the bench to provide solid defense and rebounding.
New Additions
Ohio head coach Bob Boldon and his staff added two graduate transfers to the team this year, former Ohio State and Dayton guard Anyssa Jones and former Wake Forest guard Aliah McWhorter.
McWhorter is a Cincinnati native and didn’t see much playing time as a Demon Deacon due to injury. Jones is another Ohio native who averaged 9.2 points per game in her two seasons with the Flyers.
“They bring a great deal of experience. They're very talented, they're very versatile. They're able to play multiple positions and do a number of different things,” Boldon said. “They have an understanding of the game of basketball and we’re very excited to have them.”
Ohio also added five underclassmen to its roster this offseason, Gigi Bower and Dani Scully were the two recruits fresh out of high school on scholarship.
"I think Dani and Gigi have a real opportunity to contribute,” Boldon said. “They both had a pretty good summer, and they had a pretty good fall.”
The other additions are redshirt freshman Madison Lim, sophomore Kiersten Cashell and freshman Olivia Rinard.
Ohio also added Abby Garnett and Kaylee Gregory Bambule, two former Ohio players joining Boldon's staff as assistant coaches.
“They're former players, so they have an understanding of what we're trying to do and how we're trying to do it,” Boldon said. “I think it will be a good mentorship opportunity for some of our young kids to see players who've been through the ups and downs of college basketball… they’ve done a great job of working with the players.”
Key Returners
The Bobcats of last year were an inexperienced bunch, relying heavily on a slew of underclassmen for key minutes and scoring. Those players have all gotten another year to develop, and sophomores Bailey Tabeling and Monica Williams will be names to watch this season.
“Monica was a great driver that probably needs to be a little better shooter. Bailey's a great shooter, that probably needs to be a little better driver,” Boldon said. “Hopefully that's that's the next step in their development.”
Jaya McClure, Ohio’s leading scorer from last season, will return to Athens for her junior season. Last year, the Louisville, Kentucky native averaged 12.6 points per game from the point guard position. Even with her scoring ability at such a high level, look for her to take a shooting jump this season.
“The nice thing about basketball is that you can always shoot the ball a little bit better than did before,” Boldon said. “It's a never-ending search to probably be the best shooter you can be. I think that's something that Jaya is working on.”
Kate Dennis was one of Ohio’s most clutch players last season, coming up big in huge spots all season long for the Bobcats. Despite Dennis being honored on senior day last season, the senior guard is back this season and should bring needed shooting and leadership.
“(She’s) just a very good communicator very compassionate person when it comes to caring for her teammates. (She’s) just a great role model for our young kids to look up to,” Boldon said.
Dennis is one of two returning upperclassmen from last season with the other returning veteran being Kennedi Watkins.
The senior forward is entering her second season with the Bobcats after transferring from Southeastern Missouri last season. On a team with a slew of guards, Watkins serves as the team’s main threat in the paint, although she will be looking to expand her range this upcoming season.
“She's worked really, really hard at expanding her game, and her three-point shot looks the best it's ever looked,” Boldon said. “I think Kennedi’s leadership this fall has been tremendous, and I'm really excited to see what, Kennedi can put together this season.”
Those five players make up the core of what the Ohio women’s basketball team is going to look like this season. A winning record both overall and in the MAC should be a solid goal for an improving team that went 11-19 last season.
